This invention pertains to a swab for cleaning. More particularly, the invention pertains to a swab having a conical cleaning head portion formed from a fabric material and a method for making such swabs.
Swabs are used in all manners of cleaning. Commonly recognized swabs includes cotton tip swabs used for personal hygiene and care. Swabs, due to their compact and effective nature, have been adopted for use in numerous areas of manufacture and technology. One such area is the manufacture of electrical components and more specifically, the manufacture of, for example, electrical connectors, hard disk drives and like electro-mechanical components.
Many electro-mechanical components, such as hard disk drives involve strictly controlled, high technology manufacturing process. Other electro-mechanical components, such as connectors are manufactured in processes that are not as state-of-the-art, but nevertheless require closely controlled environments to assure that the components are xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d upon completing manufacture.
A typical hard disk drive or disk storage device includes magnetic or optical read/write media that is mounted to a drive assembly, such as a motor at a hub. A pivotal or moving arm scans the surface of the disk in order to write to or read from the disk. Contact between the read/write head on the pivotal arm with the storage media device must be done in a xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d environment. This is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cclean roomxe2x80x9d within the housing of the drive device.
During the manufacture of such devices, while it is undesirable, there may be light oils, such as fingerprint and other natural skin oils or other debris that is found on or in such parts. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, debris and oils can significantly degrade or hamper proper functioning and operation of such devices.
Other electro-mechanical devices, such as connectors, may be stationary components that, nevertheless require xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d manufacturing processes to assure that the components properly function in operation.
Numerous types of cleaning implements have been used with varying degrees of success to maintain these otherwise susceptible areas clean. However, it has been found that many cleaning implements presently available cannot successfully be used to clean very small particulate matter from corners and other areas of adjoining or adjacent surfaces. This is particularly the case where it is not feasible to readily reach into such areas, without undue force, to clean such areas with known implements.
In addition, it has been found that some presently available cleaning implements discharge a relatively high quantity of particulate matter upon use. For example, some foam-type implements have been found to discharge or release foam particulate matter upon use.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a swab-type cleaning device that can be used for cleaning a variety of delicate, high-requirement electrical and electro-mechanical devices. Desirably, such a device is configured so that it can be used to clean narrow or small spaces, such as slots, as well as juncture regions of surfaces or walls. Most desirably, such a cleaning device removes contaminants, including particulate and light oils without leaving any of its own debris, such as particulate or fiber matter.
A swab for cleaning electrical and electro-mechanical components has a conical or tapered head. The swab includes an elongated handle defining a longitudinal axis. The handle has a cleaning head end and a grasping end. The cleaning head end is formed to define a taper. Preferably, the taper is formed at an angle of about 3 degrees to about 10 degrees, and most preferably about 5 degrees.
The swab includes a fabric cleaning end. The fabric is formed around the handle at the taper to define the conical cleaning head. The fabric is sealed to the handle to define a circumferential handle seal and is further sealed to itself along the taper to define a longitudinal seal. Preferably, the circumferential handle seal is formed at a juncture of the handle taper and the substantially cylindrical grasping portion of the handle.
The fabric can be formed to the handle in a single layer. Alternately, the fabric is formed to the handle in at least two layers, and most preferably, in two layers. When folded to form two layers, the two layers are sealed to one another and define a fold seam or a fold line. Preferably, the fold seam is positioned at about the circumferential handle seal.
In a present embodiment, the fabric is a knit polyester. Alternately, the fabric can be a polyester nylon microfiber material.
A method of forming the swab includes the steps of providing an elongated handle having a longitudinal axis and defining a tapered portion and a cylindrical portion. The method further includes providing a section of fabric, forming the fabric about the handle on the tapered portion, sealing the fabric to the handle to define a circumferential handle seal, and sealing the fabric to itself to define a longitudinal seam seal along the tapered portion.
One method of making the swab includes the steps of folding the fabric to form a two layer region defining a fold line, and positioning the fold line at about a juncture of the tapered portion and the cylindrical portion of the handle.
The circumferential handle seal can be formed by ultrasonic welding. Likewise, the longitudinal seam seal can be formed by ultrasonic welding.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.